Bradley Anthropology Takes Off

Bradley University students learn about indigenous cultural practices from a traditional performer in the Sydney "Tribal Warrior" program.

October 7, 2013

Bradley students who dream of traveling to far-away places and exploring new cultures can now make that dream a reality. With the Fall 2013 launch of Bradley’s new anthropology minor, the University is offering its first ever study abroad course in anthropology. The course, open to all majors, takes students to Sydney, Australia, in May of 2014, to study the diverse Aboriginal cultures of the land “down under.”

“Many people mistakenly believe that there is just a single Australian Aboriginal culture,” said Sydney Study Abroad Director Dr. Jackie Hogan. “But there are actually scores of indigenous cultures in Australia, each with its own distinctive language and customs.”

Students in Anthropology 305 (Aboriginal Cultures of Australia) will participate in daily excursions to museums, historical landmarks, and cultural heritage sites in and around Sydney as they examine the traditional artistic, spiritual, kinship, subsistence and healing practices of indigenous Australians, and the tremendous changes that occurred after European settlers arrived. “There are some striking parallels with the experiences of Native Americans,” Hogan said. Besides visiting these sites and studying the fascinating issues firsthand, the class enrollment will be limited to twelve students—guaranteeing the close, personal and one-on-one attention for which study abroad courses are known.

Students also will have the opportunity to enroll in a special seminar (“Australia through Film”) in the spring semester before their departure. “We use some of Australia’s best films to explore the nation’s history and culture,” Hogan explained. “The seminar is a great way for students to make the most of their trip by really understanding the culture they’ll be experiencing.”

For students interested in a different approach to the Australian experience, the program also offers courses in English, history, education and business management, and the film seminar is open to students who enroll in any of these courses.

“We’re excited to able to offer this opportunity to our students,” Hogan noted. “A key mission of anthropology is to open people’s eyes to the ways diverse cultures think about and experience their world. There’s no better way to do that than to get out of the classroom and encounter these cultures firsthand.”

For more details, contact Dr. Hogan at jlhogan@bradley.edu, call the Study Abroad office at 677-2400, or visit http://www.bradley.edu/academic/cio/studyabroad/summer/sydney/ and pre-register today.